Skip a latte, save a lemur. (Or skip a lager!)
Donation protected
While on sabbatical in Madagascar we found ourselves a bit heartbroken over the impact of deforestation on the places we visited. Heartbreak turned into hope when we met Gerard! His vision and determination gave us hope in the future of biodiversity in Madagascar. Lokobe National Park, (Nosy Be, Madagascar) is at a crucial moment. Lokobe recently transitioned from a protected reserve that only scientists could visit into a national park. Gerard is tasked with creating sustainable ecotourism and development for the park. He is hoping to go to Colorado this September for an incredible learning and networking opportunity at the International Seminar on Planning and Managing Tourism in Protected Areas hosted by Colorado State University and the US Forest Service. This 17 day professional development seminar will primarily focus on terrestrial areas. Gerard’s jurisdiction includes 740 hectares of primary forest as well as 122 hectares of marine protected area. After the seminar, we would like to bring Gerard to California to meet with leaders in Marine protection.
Gerard’s vision for how attending the seminar will help the park and its surrounding communities.
We were so impressed with Gerard’s dedication and work ethic, we funded the visa and passport he will need to travel to the seminar before we left Madagascar. Please read more and watch the videos of Gerard describing Lokobe and his dream in his own words - we hope that you will see his sincerity, heart and dedication and will help us fund his journey! This particular window of time is critical in making the biggest impact for all of the island of Nosy Be’s inhabitants!
More Details:
Love Lemurs? Fluffy ears, inquisitive eyes and dexterous jumps between tall trees make our hearts smile! Their home needs your help - we hope you will take a moment to read and consider skipping a latte, a lager, or some other luxurious treat and joining us in making the world a better place for lemurs and the forest they inhabit. While traveling in Madagascar for sabbatical we visted a special national park, Lokobe, that is at a unique time in it’s history. Here’s the scoop:
What we learned and Who we met:
Lokobe is located on an island, Nosy Be, in the northwestern region of Madagascar. It’s 740 hectares comprises a primary rainforest abundant in both plant and animal species, many of which are endemic. It was the only place that we visited in our six weeks in Madagascar where the forest had been preserved. There are many pressures on Madagascar’s forests, including agriculture and harvesting wood for fuel (for cooking and extracting oil from ylang ylang flowers) and construction. This forest is truly a refuge for both it’s inhabitants and the people fortunate enough to visit it.
In this video Gerard talks about his role in Lokobe National Park. We kept Erin’s blooper at the end because we hope you would be amused:
Madagascar is listed as the 10th most impoverished nation on the planet. The government is trying to improve the situation by developing it’s economy. For Nosy Be, this involves increasing tourism. As part of the plan, Lokobe was decommissioned from a Strict Nature Reserve and opened as a National Park in 2014. As the number of tourists visiting northern Madagascar grows (we saw massive cruise ships arrive weekly with thousands of people), Gerard has been recruited to develop a sustainable ecotourism plan that helps visitors (both local Malagasy and international guests) connect and experience the park’s unique flora and fauna without damaging this sensitive forest.
A well thought out and implemented plan will save this forest for generations (both lemurs and humans!) and help build a community of stewards. Gerard is the right person for the job. He is thoughtful, resilient, and collaborative. Everywhere we went, it was clear Gerard was highly regarded and inclusive.
Gerard talks about how attending the seminar will help the future of Lokobe.
In a word, Gerard Bakarizafy is inspiring. Imagine being charged with the task of developing a sustainable ecotourism program for one of the last standing primary tropical rainforests on your island home. An island that is continually facing challenges of poverty and deforestation. This is Gerard’s life work. While he fully acknowledges the complexities that threaten Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, he is determined to build and work with his community (both local and international) to preserve the primary forest found in Lokobe National Park and it’s associated Marine Protected Area on Nosy Be.
In in addition to having a degree in ecotourism and previously working for WWF, Gerard can speak how many languages?
Why we are asking for help:
To aid Gerard in developing a plan for Lokobe, he has been encouraged to attend the International Seminar on Planning and Managing Tourism in Protected Areas this September organized by Colorado State University’s Center for Protected Area Management and the Office of International Programs of the US Forest Service. To give him more opportunities to build partnerships and experience different management techniques, we would like to host Gerard in California where he can meet with people working in the National Marine Sanctuaries, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Oakland Zoo/California Conservation Society.
Professional development funds are not available through Madagascar National Parks, and the trip would be 4 to 5 times Gerard’s annual income. This training opportunity is not financially feasible without our assistance, and it will be transformative for the future of Lokobe and the nearby villages!
How your Donation will be Used to Help:
$5,495 - International Seminar - includes registration, field trips, lodging, and insurance during the 17 day seminar.
$3,500 - Airfare from Madagascar to Colorado, California and return
$300 - Required equipment for field trips
$500 - Travel expenses (food, lodging, etc) while not at the seminar
$220 - Visa and passport fees - already funded by Lisa and Erin
Thank you for your interest and time in learning about Lokobe and Gerard. Visiting the primary rainforest in Lokobe was truly spectacular. It was the ONLY place we experienced a primary rainforest. After weeks of hiking through areas that are used as plantations and fruit orchards and witnessing bare rocks and empty tide pools, we gained a deep sense of how important and vulnerable this forest and marine protected area are. Helping the dedicated staff develop a plan that will sustain its existence is worth a latte or two (or five!). Together we can make it happen! Thanks friends!
In gratitude,
Erin, Lisa and Gerard
PS If you have any questions or ideas please send us an email! We would love to chat about the project!
Erin: [email redacted]
Lisa: [email redacted]
Gerard’s vision for how attending the seminar will help the park and its surrounding communities.
We were so impressed with Gerard’s dedication and work ethic, we funded the visa and passport he will need to travel to the seminar before we left Madagascar. Please read more and watch the videos of Gerard describing Lokobe and his dream in his own words - we hope that you will see his sincerity, heart and dedication and will help us fund his journey! This particular window of time is critical in making the biggest impact for all of the island of Nosy Be’s inhabitants!
More Details:
Love Lemurs? Fluffy ears, inquisitive eyes and dexterous jumps between tall trees make our hearts smile! Their home needs your help - we hope you will take a moment to read and consider skipping a latte, a lager, or some other luxurious treat and joining us in making the world a better place for lemurs and the forest they inhabit. While traveling in Madagascar for sabbatical we visted a special national park, Lokobe, that is at a unique time in it’s history. Here’s the scoop:
What we learned and Who we met:
Lokobe is located on an island, Nosy Be, in the northwestern region of Madagascar. It’s 740 hectares comprises a primary rainforest abundant in both plant and animal species, many of which are endemic. It was the only place that we visited in our six weeks in Madagascar where the forest had been preserved. There are many pressures on Madagascar’s forests, including agriculture and harvesting wood for fuel (for cooking and extracting oil from ylang ylang flowers) and construction. This forest is truly a refuge for both it’s inhabitants and the people fortunate enough to visit it.
In this video Gerard talks about his role in Lokobe National Park. We kept Erin’s blooper at the end because we hope you would be amused:
Madagascar is listed as the 10th most impoverished nation on the planet. The government is trying to improve the situation by developing it’s economy. For Nosy Be, this involves increasing tourism. As part of the plan, Lokobe was decommissioned from a Strict Nature Reserve and opened as a National Park in 2014. As the number of tourists visiting northern Madagascar grows (we saw massive cruise ships arrive weekly with thousands of people), Gerard has been recruited to develop a sustainable ecotourism plan that helps visitors (both local Malagasy and international guests) connect and experience the park’s unique flora and fauna without damaging this sensitive forest.
A well thought out and implemented plan will save this forest for generations (both lemurs and humans!) and help build a community of stewards. Gerard is the right person for the job. He is thoughtful, resilient, and collaborative. Everywhere we went, it was clear Gerard was highly regarded and inclusive.
Gerard talks about how attending the seminar will help the future of Lokobe.
In a word, Gerard Bakarizafy is inspiring. Imagine being charged with the task of developing a sustainable ecotourism program for one of the last standing primary tropical rainforests on your island home. An island that is continually facing challenges of poverty and deforestation. This is Gerard’s life work. While he fully acknowledges the complexities that threaten Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, he is determined to build and work with his community (both local and international) to preserve the primary forest found in Lokobe National Park and it’s associated Marine Protected Area on Nosy Be.
In in addition to having a degree in ecotourism and previously working for WWF, Gerard can speak how many languages?
Why we are asking for help:
To aid Gerard in developing a plan for Lokobe, he has been encouraged to attend the International Seminar on Planning and Managing Tourism in Protected Areas this September organized by Colorado State University’s Center for Protected Area Management and the Office of International Programs of the US Forest Service. To give him more opportunities to build partnerships and experience different management techniques, we would like to host Gerard in California where he can meet with people working in the National Marine Sanctuaries, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Oakland Zoo/California Conservation Society.
Professional development funds are not available through Madagascar National Parks, and the trip would be 4 to 5 times Gerard’s annual income. This training opportunity is not financially feasible without our assistance, and it will be transformative for the future of Lokobe and the nearby villages!
How your Donation will be Used to Help:
$5,495 - International Seminar - includes registration, field trips, lodging, and insurance during the 17 day seminar.
$3,500 - Airfare from Madagascar to Colorado, California and return
$300 - Required equipment for field trips
$500 - Travel expenses (food, lodging, etc) while not at the seminar
$220 - Visa and passport fees - already funded by Lisa and Erin
Thank you for your interest and time in learning about Lokobe and Gerard. Visiting the primary rainforest in Lokobe was truly spectacular. It was the ONLY place we experienced a primary rainforest. After weeks of hiking through areas that are used as plantations and fruit orchards and witnessing bare rocks and empty tide pools, we gained a deep sense of how important and vulnerable this forest and marine protected area are. Helping the dedicated staff develop a plan that will sustain its existence is worth a latte or two (or five!). Together we can make it happen! Thanks friends!
In gratitude,
Erin, Lisa and Gerard
PS If you have any questions or ideas please send us an email! We would love to chat about the project!
Erin: [email redacted]
Lisa: [email redacted]
Organizer and beneficiary
Lisa Murphy
Organizer
Sonora, CA
ERIN NAEGLE
Beneficiary
